110 FLORA HOMCEOPATHTCA. 



tribe of plants,* and was known to the ancient physicians under 

 the name Bp>zrpoc%iov. Hippocrates used two species. Accord- 

 ing to Paulus iEgineta, there were four varieties described in 

 ancient medicine, which Sprengel. is of opinion were the 

 R. asiaticus, R. lanuginosa, R. muricatus, and R. aquatilis. 

 Dioscorides employed them as external applications for the 

 removal of leprous nails, psora, steotomatous and other 

 tumours; as a fomentation to chilblains, and as an applica- 

 tion to remove toothache. Galen, Paulus iEgineta, and 

 the Arabian physicians all recommend them as powerful escha- 

 rotics. 



Gerarde says : " There be divers sorts or kinds of these 

 pernitious herbes comprehended under the name of Eanunculus 

 or Crowfoote, whereof most are very dangerous to be taken 

 into the body, and therefore they require a very exquisite 

 moderation, Avith a most exact and due manner of tempering ; 

 not any of them are to be taken alone by themselves, because 

 they are of a most violent force, and therefore have the great 

 nede of correction. The knowledge of these plants is as 

 necessarie to the phisition as of other herbes, to the end they 

 may shun the same, as Scribonius Largus saith, and not take 

 them ignorantly, or also if necessitie at any time require that 

 they may use them, and that with some deliberation and 

 special choice and with their proper correctives. For these 

 dangerous simples are likewise many times of themselves bene- 

 ficiall and oftentimes profitable ; for some of them are not so 

 dangerous but that they may in some sort and oftentimes in fit 

 and due season profit and do good." And writing of two of 

 the species, Ranunculus Illyricus, and Ranunculus bulbosus, 

 W hich is also found in Illyria and Sclavonia, he says : " This 



* Sixty-one species are enumerated by Willdenow ; one hundred and fifty-nine 

 by Decandolle in his Prodromus. Fifteen species are natives of Britain. They 

 all possess acrid and very similar properties ; and, as Culpeper says, « to describe 

 them all would tire the patience of Socrates himself, but because I have not yet 

 attained to the spirit of Socrates, I shall but describe the most usual." 



